Transcending

"It is possible for everyone to go deep within and saturate their mind with inner happiness, with that unlimited pure intelligence that dwells at the source of thought." – Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Experience the inner Self

When we practise Transcendental Meditation we experience a state where the mind is completely silent yet wide awake. "Transcend" means "go beyond". When the mind has gone beyond all activity, this is an experience of the inner Self, which is perfect peace, Transcendental Consciousness.

An analogy

The mind is like the ocean - constantly in motion on the surface, but silent and immensely powerful at its depths. Transcendental Meditation involves settling without any effort to the silent depths of the ocean – becoming recharged by that unbounded state of pure consciousness. As the mind quietens down, the breathing becomes very soft and the muscles deeply relaxed. The mind settles inward, beyond thought, to the most silent, peaceful level of consciousness – your innermost self.

Other techniques

The ability to transcend during TM is what makes it fundamentally different from all other techniques. These invariably involve either concentration (contolling the mind or attention) or contemplation (an active thought process of some kind). In this way, other types of meditation keep the mind active – which actually impedes the transcending process.

An effortless technique

Personal experience on day of learning TM:

"Without knowing what to expect, I began to drift down into deeper and deeper levels of relaxation, as if I were sinking into my chair. Then for some time, perhaps a minute or a few minutes, I experienced a silent, inner state of no thoughts, just pure awareness and nothing else; then again I became aware of my surroundings. It left me with a deep sense of ease, inner renewal and happiness."